Welcome, New Readers! Please Catch Up With the Previous Solution-Intensive Conversations

I'm delighted to announce that The Sojourner's Passport site has launched! You can visit it at http://www.sojournerspassport.com/.

Everyone, I can't thank you enough for your ongoing encouragement and support; I truly appreciate it. Your support is what made this possible. And here's a special shout-out to my web designers at Educo Web Design. They're nice people to deal with, and they do outstanding work!

Peace and blessings,
Khadija Nassif
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Before anything else, let's be clear about the gravity of our collective situation as African-American women. Please start with the following post, "The Last Embers Of A Dying Flame: Will YOU Make It Out Before Darkness Falls?" http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2009/07/last-embers-of-dying-flame-will-you.html

I firmly believe that this era is the time of reckoning across the planet. ALL of the issues that have been arrogantly ignored and "blown off" are coming back with a vengeance. From environmental pollution, to the oil dependency that Pres. Carter warned Americans about 30 years ago, to the economy. ALL of it. This reckoning includes Black folks across the globe.

Specifically in terms of African-Americans it includes:

(1) The mass self-hatred and lack of racial pride that we've papered over with slogans about multiculturalism, biracialism, etc. This self-hatred has metastisized into the openly Black-hating statements of creatures like Yung Berg, Ne-Yo, Kimora Lee, Tiger Woods, etc. ALL of this has come back to bite us in the buttocks.

(2) The unaddressed misogyny in the Black collective, which has caused unprecedented levels of violence against Black women and girls. This has metastisized into OPEN, VEHEMENT support for woman-beaters like Chris Brown. Open, vehement support for pedophiles like R.Kelly.This has also morphed into OPEN, VEHEMENT support for BM exploiting and refusing to marry BW. African-Americans' acceptance of unfettered misogyny has accomplished something that even slavery couldn't do: This is what has caused the FINAL DEATH of the African-American family. All of this is the end result of catering to Black men's wounded egos.

(3) The unchallenged anti-intellectualism among the African-American collective. This has morphed into African-Americans lifting up, and celebrating, ignorance and depravity as "acting Black."

(4) The refusal to hold our (mis)leadership class accountable for their failures and trespasses. This has resulted in a current leadership cadre that is filled with jackals, buck-dancing Crossover Negro Politicians who cater to White racists, and impotent tv talking heads [i.e,. the "usual suspects" who are invited to Tavis Smiley's annual book promotion fest].

This is the time and the day when ALL of these things that we've collectively refused to address are coming to a head. All of these things will be the death of most African-Americans. Most African-Americans will form a permanent underclass in this country.

The permanent underclass "flood waters" are already around our necks, while our people continue on with business as usual.Those few African-Americans who will survive and thrive despite the flood must start building Arks and/or looking for seats on somebody else's Ark. Right now!

Let's also be clear about the fact that African-American women are utterly ALONE in carrying the "I've got to narrow my options in order to maintain what I've been told is racial loyalty" banners. This topic was explored with the the following post, "An Open Letter To African-American Women Who PUBLICLY State That They Would Never Date/Marry Outside The Race: A Reader's Money Quote From Felicia." http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2009/06/open-letter-to-african-american-women.html

If you are currently burning yourself out in a "helping" profession, you probably need to GET OUT NOW and seek your own bliss. We discussed this with the following post, "A Case Study Of Why Black Women Should Leave The 'Helping' Professions, And Seek Their Own Bliss." http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2009/04/case-study-of-why-black-women-should.html

In terms of detailed solutions, that's what we've BEEN talking about here! LOL! For those who are unfamiliar with this blog, I suggest you start with the following solution-intensive posts and discussions:

1-"Geostrategy Nerd: An Extended Reader's Money Quote From Beverly" http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2009/02/geostrategy-nerd-extended-readers-money.html

2-"If You're Not on One of These 10 Roads to Riches, You're Heading Toward the Poorhouse." http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2009/03/if-youre-not-on-one-of-these-10-roads.html

3-"Comment Overflow for the Post, 'If You're Not on One of These 10 Roads..." http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2009/03/comment-overflow-for-post-if-youre-not.html

4-"All Colored People That Want to Go to Kansas, Part 2: An Extended Reader's Money Quote From Sister Seeking/Miriam/MaryAnn" http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2008/12/all-colored-people-that-want-to-go-to.html

Furthermore, the Wildest Dreams CHECKLIST conversations usually involve specific ideas and suggestions. There's no "expiration date" on these conversations. Please feel free to jump in at any time!

Welcome, New Readers! Please Catch Up With The Inner Slum/Inner Sanctuary and Self-Determination Series

Over the past few days, I've noticed that there's been a lot of new readers visiting the blog (thank you, Evia!).

Welcome, New Readers! I hope you'll ultimately decide to join the think tank here by participating in the discussions at this blog. I want this blog to be one of several "safe spaces" for Black women to exchange ideas, strategies, and tips for renewing our minds, lifting our spirits, and taking our rightful place on the world stage.

I believe that lasting, positive change only comes from the inside-out. Enduring victories come from the inside-out. We've tried various surface techniques over the past 40 years. For the most part, all we've done is exchange one form of oppression for another. We have exchanged an external oppressor in favor of an internal one. We have exchanged external violence in favor of internal violence. In politics, we have exchanged White political hacks for Black ones. All the while, our collective condition has gotten worse and worse.

I want CHANGE, not exchange.

Our people are at a crossroads. We can continue along our current path which leads to African-Americans becoming a permanent underclass within this country. I believe that we've completed roughly 80% of the permanent underclass process. Or we can change our collective fate by changing our individual lives for the better. In order to change our lives, we have to renew our minds. This is why I've written a series of introspection essays (the True Fellowship series; the Inner Slum series; and the Inner Sanctuary series). I hope you'll take the time to read some of the ones that I feel are the most important:

http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2008/10/true-fellowship-part-2-breaking-bread.html

http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2008/09/inner-slum-part-1-noise-pollution.html

http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2008/09/inner-slum-part-2-micro-aggression.html

Please also take the time to read one of the most commented upon posts: "Self-Determination, Part 1: My Dark-Skinned Sisters, STOP Letting Biracial/Bicultural/Multicultural/Light-Skinned Women Wear YOUR Stolen Crown!" http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2008/12/self-determination-part-1-my-dark.html

And, last but not least, please take the time to read the most hotly-discussed introspection post so far: "The Inner Sanctuary, Part 4: Are You Ready to Feel Flawless?" from 11/10/08 (there's a badge that links to this post at the top right on this screen, directly below the masthead).